Mediterranean Stuffed Breast of Chicken

Dried tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, pine nuts, and feta cheese fill these crowd-pleasing chicken rolls. Serve them for a dinner party with salad and rolls.

Ingredients

1/27 -ounce jar oil-packed dried tomatoes (1/3 cup)

2 ounces fresh shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)

1/4cup pine nuts

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2cup feta or soft goat cheese (chevre), crumbed (2 ounces)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8teaspoon salt

1/8teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon butter

1/4cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

Directions

For filling:Drain the tomatoes, reserving 2 tablespoons oil. Finely chop tomatoes. In a medium skillet, cook and stir tomatoes, mushrooms and pine nuts in reserved oil from the tomatoes over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.

Place a chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, lightly pound chicken into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick, working from the center to the edges. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining chicken breast halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

For each roll, place one-fourth of the mushroom mixture in center of chicken piece. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the feta cheese. Fold in the sides of the chicken breast half and roll up. Press all edges firmly to seal in the filling. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if necessary. Repeat with remaining chicken, filling and cheese. Place rolls, seam side down, in a shallow baking pan.

For sauce:In a heavy small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook and stir over low heat until evenly combined. Remove from heat. Transfer to a small bowl. Add whipping cream and stir until well combined; set aside.